Ying Yan Long took over the teacup that Steward Zhu had served up and after slowly taking a sip of tea, he said. 

“Really?”

Luo Ji Cai hesitated for a while.  From Ying Yan Long’s expression, it could be seen that Ying Yan Long was not aware of the fact that he had tried to kill Hua Ming Zi.  So, he continued to ask.

“How are Hua Dangjia’s injuries?”

“Who told Luo Gongzi that she was injured?”  Ying Yan Long sneered.

Immediately, Luo Ji Cai jumped up from his chair.  “This.......this......this is what all the people on the streets and alleys are saying, ah.........they say.......say that she was kidnapped and then she was injured........”

“Is it?”  Ying Yan Long stared at Luo Ji Cai.  After seeing that he did not dare to move, Ying Yan Long continued to say.  “After Hua Dangjia was injured, all her important relatives and friends were notified.  So, you and she should only be ‘nodding acquaintances’.  Why are you so anxious to come forward and ask?  Could it be that you are connected to her injuries?”

“Nonsense!  Of course, her injuries are not connected to me!”  Luo Ji Cai cried out loudly and his face turned red.

“Don’t panic, Luo Gongzi.”  Ying Yan Long dropped his eyelids and suppressed his anger.  Then in a nonchalant voice, he said.  “It is just that I am curious as to why Luo Gongzi is so concerned about this matter and whether Luo Gongzi knows who the culprit is.”

“I.....I...... How would I know?!”  Luo Ji Cai looked at Ying Dangjia for a while and felt that Ying Yan Long did not seem to be clear about what actually happened to Hua Ming Zi.  Then he continued.  “I came here because I have good feelings for Hua Dangjia for a long time, so I want to know her condition.”

“Hua Dangjia already has a marriage agreement with my Ying Family, so she is staying in Ying Mansion to nurse her injuries and it is also convenient for the doctor to take care of her.  You don’t have to worry.”  Ying Yan Long said coldly.

“I didn’t hear that she has a marriage agreement with the Ying Family........”  Luo Ji Cai frowned.

“The whole capital city knew about the marriage proposal she made to me.  While we were preparing to make a public announcement, she was attacked.  That is also the reason why the guards of the Ying Family were able to save her immediately.”  Ying Yan Long’s black eyes locked on Luo Ji Cai’s eyes and he said icily.  “No one can bully the people of the Ying Family.”

Luo Ji Cai stiffened and a cold sweat broke out on his back.  Quickly, he said with a smile.  “That is natural.”

“Luo Gongzi seems a little panic-stricken.  Please drink some tea to stabilize your emotions.” 

“I am not in a panic.  It is only just that I didn’t expect Hua Dangjia and the Ying Family have a marriage agreement.  I am at a loss for a moment.”

Luo Ji Cai let out a laugh and sat back on the chair.  After taking a sip of tea, he asked again.  “......that.......about the people who attacked Hua Dangjia, did you find out anything?”

“Currently, nothing is known.  Because of her serious injuries, she seems to have forgotten about the attack.”

Ying Yan Long looked at the expressions of relief and ecstasy flashed across Luo Ji Cai’s face.  Although his heart was burning with anger, his face still had an indifferent expression.

“Did she just forget about the part of the attack or did she forget about everything else?”  Luo Ji Cai asked.

“She just forgot the part of the attack.”

“Is it possible for her to recover?”

“Thank you, Luo Gongzi for being so concerned with my ‘Ying’ Family’s affairs.  It is difficult to say to what extent she will recover and how much she will remember.  Since such an evil crime had happened in the capital city but the patrol guards from Yamen did not even take action.  When her injuries are better, I will bring her to pay them a visit.”

Luo Ji Cai breathed a sigh of relief and suddenly, he beamed a smile.

“Since I am already here, can I pay Hua Dangjia a visit?”

“It is not possible.  Now, she is afraid of strangers except for her own people.”  Ying Yan Long stared at Luo Ji Cai with cold eyes and noticed that the other party was a little nervous. 

“I had once discussed marriage with her, so I am not considered a stranger.”  Luo Ji Cai said.

“As far as I know, the matter between you and her is not as you said.”

“Ying Dangjia must be unaware that everyone in the city thought you had rejected Hua Dangjia’s marriage proposal.  As for me, I was already prepared to inform my Father about my intention to take Hua Dangjia as my wife.  Now that I hear that she is injured, I really don’t feel at ease, therefore I must take a look at her.  I beg Ying Dangjia for permission and grant me this wish.”  Luo Ji Cai felt that his words were beautifully said.  He could not help but straightened his back and without moving his wide eyes, he looked towards Ying Yan Long.

Ying Yan Long let out two shouts of cold laughter and the way he laughed made Luo Jia Cai, who was sitting in his chair, began to feel uneasy.

“How will it be possible for the Luo Family to allow you to marry a businesswoman and take her as your wife?”  Ying Yan Long said.

“This......this......of course, my Father will give me a bit of a problem.......but that doesn’t mean a marriage between me and Hua Dangjia is not possible.......” 

“Since you have the heart to pay her a visit, I will thank you on her behalf.   Because of your heartfelt intention, I would like to repay in kindness and alert you.  I have heard rumors that several gambling dens will be going to your residence in the next couple of days to recover the debts you owe.”  Ying Yan Long interrupted his words.  The more he looked at Luo Ji Cai, the angrier he felt and he really wanted to beat him up badly on the spot.

When Luo Ji Cai heard this, his face suddenly sank and he completely forgot that he wanted to visit Hua Ming Zi.  “If they dare to come, I will order my guards to capture all of them.”

“They have, in their possession, the loan agreement that you had written personally.  I heard that if they can’t recover the debts, they will report this matter to Yamen.”

“You, you.......how do you know?”

“My Ying Family’s Medical Hall is the medical hall chosen by His Majesty and we need a lot of herbs and medicines.  Naturally, there will be well-informed people who will inform me about everything happening in the city, either big or small.  I also heard that the gambling dens had commissioned for hundreds of your portraits to be drawn and they are preparing to put up the portraits in the capital city saying that the son of a high-ranking officer did not pay his debts........”   He wanted Luo Ji Cai to be thrown into a state of disarray.

“Ying Dangjia, since you know the people from the gambling dens are going to harm me, then you have to save me!”  Luo Ji Cai went up to stand in front of him and bowed in respect.

“Whether you die or live, why should it concern me?”  Ying Yan Long glared at him.

Luo Ji Cai looked up at Ying Yan Long.  A cold sweat broke out on his back.......Ying Yan Long’s eyes were full of hatred.  Could it be, Ying Yan Long knows that he was the one who tried to kill Hua Ming Zi?   Perhaps, the matter of the gambling dens collecting debts is all due to Ying Yan Long.

When Luo Ji Cai thought about the marriage between the two people, the more his scalp felt numb but he still said with a smile.

“Ying Dangjia, is there a misunderstanding between us?”

“Get out!”  Ying Yan Long said.

Luo Ji Cai’s face sank and he clenched his fists.  “You should show courtesy.  I am......”

“You are nothing!”  The face of Ying Yan Long turned dark.  Then he turned and strode out of the main hall.

He had thought he could put on a mask to deal with Luo Ji Cai but he could not help it!  He could only think of strangling this despicable, vile man to death!

As soon as he left the courtyard of the main hall, he called the Chief Guard over and ordered.

“Instruct the gambling dens to post a few posters of Luo Ji Cai owing money, at the back door of Lou Residence first.  Send someone to watch over Luo Ji Cai and keep track of the antique treasures that he will dispose of.  I want to know who the buyers are and where they come from.”

Luo Ji Cai owed a tremendous amount of debts.  Now that he cannot marry Hua Ming Zi to help him pay off the debts and he is also unable to borrow enough money, the only option is to take the risk of selling the treasures he obtained from the palace.  However, most of the palace treasures were royal gifts bestowed by the Emperor.  If he really dares to take the risk and sells off the palace treasures bestowed, he is seeking the path of death.

Moreover, even if Luo Ji Cai did not reveal the horse’s hooves* regarding the sale of the palace treasures, he also has two other things that can make Luo Ji Cai unable to do whatever he wants in the city.  One of the things is related to the ambition of his Father, Prime Minister Luo and the other is word of mouth from Luo Ji Cai’s friends of wine and meat*.......

(Reveal the horse’s hooves means to expose or leak out hidden truths unintentionally.)

(Friends of wine and meat mean people who befriend a person for the sake of wining and dining.)

No matter which one, it would be enough to make it impossible for the Luo Family to rise up in status again.  He would not Luo Ji Cai off scot-free for causing such misery to Hua Ming Zi.

“Dangjia.”  A guard rushed up and whispered.  “Luo Gongzi took one or two things in the main hall and put it into his clothes.”

“Let him be.”  The things that Luo Ji Cai could put in his clothes would be nothing more than medicine sachets or small jade artifacts that can be found anywhere in the Ying Mansion.  He did not believe that such small articles could be sold for a lot of money.

He will be able to let Hua Ming Zi witness Luo Ji Cai’s retribution very quickly! 

At this moment, Ying Yan Long, who had originally intended to go back to the medical courtyard, suddenly halted his footsteps.  Instead, he turned around and walked towards the courtyard where Hua Ming Zi was staying.

Every time when he went to see her, he would only get to see her sleeping face.  Although currently, he did not have time, suddenly he felt like he really wanted to say a few words to her or at least let her glare at him, it would still be good.

Ying Yan Long was startled and could not help but laugh out loud.  Who would expect him, Ying Yan Long would actually have this day!

 

After Old Madame, Song Qing Lian had woken up in the afternoon, she heard about Luo Ji Cai’s visit.  Her heart did not feel at ease and asked her maid to accompany her to the courtyard of Hua Ming Zi. 

At this time, Hua Ming Zi had just finished going over the account books and was forced to lie down on the couch for a rest.  When she heard from Cui Yu that the Old Madame had arrived, she wanted to get up and greet her.

“Don’t get up.  Just sit down.  Did you sleep well last night?  How do you feel today?”  Song Qing Lian asked softly as she sat down on the edge of the bed and held Hua Ming Zi’s hand.

“The medicine of Ying Medical Hall is comparable to magical medicine.  If the scars are not visible, I almost forgot that I was injured.”  Hua Ming Zi said with a smile. 

“This child is really naughty.”  Song Qing Lian smiled and patted her hand.  “Are you accustomed to the taste of the soup that I had instructed the maid to send over yesterday?” 

“I am not only accustomed to it.......I like it very much as well.  Although the nourishing soup is slightly bitter, it has a sweet after-taste and it also has a clear sweet taste of herbs.  If the medicine is not precious, I will definitely ask you for the recipe so that the guests of Hua Ji Restaurants will also have the opportunity to taste this special soup.”  While Hua Ming Zi was talking, she was swallowing her saliva.

“Thank you for Old Madame’s concern.  My current appearance is very much better than before.  If I keep on eating again, I will grow so fat that my Family’s Cui Yu will not be able to recognize me.”